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 Rank: Beginner Level 3 Groups: Joined: 18/01/2014 Posts: 25 Points: 65
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I've spent longer than I ought trying to research preparing and painting and staining/varnishing techniques and whilst I can get a grasp of the theory I'm struggling to understand the practical application. For example, looking at the pictures on this German forum: http://www.der-lustige-m...150-heiko-s-black-pearl
and here: http://www.der-lustige-m...05-mickey-s-black-pearl
The level of detail astounds me but I can't begin to fathom what paint/stain/varnish might have been laid down on top of what to give the effects you can see in those pictures. (on some of the pictures they've even managed to make the MDF look like actual wood with grain!) Could anyone perhaps lay down any techniques or tips that the builder might have used to create such detailed models? I'm especially interested in what they've done to the wooden parts - the decking and the MDF - whether they've used paints or stains or both to create those effects? Thanks in advance! Matthew Subscribed to: DeAgostini Artesania Sovereign of the Seas, Hachette Amati Black Pearl!
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 Rank: Super-Elite        Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/01/2013 Posts: 4,604 Points: 13,607 Location: Monmouthshire UK
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Hi Matthew It appears to be woodstain with a dark wash over it, this can either be a woodstain / thinners wash or an acrylic wash. The weathering could possibly have been the product called "weather-it" which I often use. The mdf is made to look as though it has "woodgrain" by brushing down in one direction with a stiff wire brush,such as a spark plug cleaning brush - this is obviously done before painting or staining. Mdf can also be "planked" over with a veneer on walls etc and the wire brush technique used on the frames edges. The best thing to do is make a mock deck with some planking laid on a piece of wood and test various finishes to see which looks the best before you use it on your model. Steve
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 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Hi Matthew,
Outlined are just some of the processes that can be used to age and weather model boats. The following is only a guide and is intended to help you determine what your finished model will look like before you actually begin assembly.
Preparation:
First ask yourself: 'Will the model look better by weathering?' In general, working boats such as tugs, fishing trawlers, riverboats and barges are very good candidates. Also, models that use wood or metal as primary construction materials seem to have better results. You might have heard the saying: "Build the boat in your mind first and then execute the plan". This also applies to painting and finishing. Do some research into your project and think about types of paint, their application, colours and balance. Consider how finishes such as high gloss, satin or matt may look.
Pre-Planning & Experimentation:
When ageing and weathering, pre-planning is essential. You need to make the decision to age and weather before construction begins and it should be carefully thought out. To do this you'll need to experiment, but not on the boat!
Once you have the construction materials, experimentation can begin. Take some scraps that will not be used and glue them onto a board. These test strips will be used to determine exactly how certain paints and stains adhere to woods, fibreglass or plastic etc.
Cut up several test strips of wood and run over them with a wire brush attached to a drill. This exposes the grain and helps give a used and worn look. The variance in texture and colour is what you're looking for, particularly in deck planking. Deeper grooves will stain darker than untouched areas. Start with a soft or medium wire brush and remember that flat horizontal areas of the boat (rooftops, decks, cap rails) age more quickly than vertical pieces such as sidings or trims, so adjust your wire brushing depths for the appropriate part of the boat.
Selecting Paints & Stains:
Select your paints and stains in terms of compatibility and the finish required, be it matt, semi-gloss, satin or gloss.
Colours:
Purchase an assortment of paints that you think will look good as the base colours for the boat. The colours you select will, of course, depend on your personal taste. Colours such as charcoal grey, lichen grey, black, soft grey, antique white and a soft brown will be used later in the process for "washing" and "dry brushing" over the base paints.
Begin by painting the test strips with all the colours you want to use on the boat - for the hull above and below the waterline, the cabin, and trim areas. Thin the paint and apply multiple coats. Use "angle brushes" versus "square cut" brushes, as they provide a cleaner line. You will probably end up with dozens of painted test sticks, so be sure to carefully label each one. Don't be afraid to mix colours, and remember these are just the base colours. If they are a little on the light side, don't worry because you'll be adding "washes" when you actually paint your model later on.
Try to determine which colours look the best together (hull colours, deck stains and caulking lines, cabin and trim colours). Colours should complement each other, and be relaxing and pleasing to the eye.
Once you have narrowed down the base colours for your boat, select a stain for the deck planking and apply it to a new test strip. Use an angle brush and try to keep the stain out of the caulking. If the stain should creep in, however, don't worry. It will just add to the authenticity of the model. Again, remember that you are applying this technique to a test strip and not the actual model.
Washes:
When you are satisfied with your base colours and stain combination, it's time to experiment with the final touches.
When ageing and weathering, think about the appearance of wood that has been exposed to the sun and water over time. Painted finishes break down and lose their lustre as the wood grains and natural wood colour begin to show through. Painted wood that has been exposed to the elements is not a continuous colour but rather a combination of subtle highlights and textures. To achieve this appearance, try "washing" over your base colours on the various test boards you have selected.
A "wash" consists approx 10-20 drops of water or thinner to 1- 2 drops of paint. It is a subtle and gradual build up of colour. Experiment by washing the test boards with a "fan" brush. The fan brush will leave streaks, but you'll be applying several wash layers and colours, and you will want these streaks to show - as opposed to a single heavy coat which will probably hide any wood detail. Don't forget that you are washing and highlighting, not painting. If your test strip still looks too streaky, try using a technique call "dry brushing". Dip a dry square or angle brush in the wash, then pat one side of the brush on a paper towel before colouring the board. Soft, gentle strokes are key and will accentuate wood details when using this method.
White base colours often look good when washed with lichen grey (a light brownish grey earth tone that resembles dirt). Darker colours on trims look good when washed with charcoal or lighter greys, or even lighter browns.
Next, try washing over your deck and caulking boards with light and dark greys to give it more of a "working" appearance.
Grey tones over brown go well together.
TIP: washing is a gradual process, but if thin coats of wash are applied and dried with a hair dryer, dozens of coats can be done in a day.
To further accentuate well-worn areas of the boat such as grab rails, handles and lower trim boards, try using "weathering pastels", which when applied with a dry brush, will simulate additional dirt, rust, smoke, and weather-stained appearances. Once applied to your model, you can rub it with your finger or seal the pastels with a topcoat.
Washes over a fibreglass hull or gel coat are a bit trickier. If you have a spare piece of fibreglass like a deck cutout, use it as a test board. After your usual primer and paint have been applied and allowed to dry, try mixing your colour wash with a few drops of carpenter glue. It leaves a slight tacky surface and wash colours adhere rather than roll off the paint, making it easier to simulate age and wear.
Final check before assembly:
After washing, recheck the final colours together on all the test boards. Look at the entire package and determine if your range of colours, stains, and washes complement each other. If you're still not sure, duplicate your colours onto larger test boards and make absolutely certain everything looks satisfactory. Most importantly, take your time. It's much easier to make changes now than making them later on the actual model.
And finally..
Aged pieces don't have sharp corners, so gently round them off.
Cabin and deck boards shrink with age. Give them a bit more space to create older character lines.
Do all your wire brushing before the boards are glued to the boat.
Paint all your trim boards first, on 3 sides, and then glue. It's a cleaner line and you need touch up only the ends with a small brush.
Use coloured pastels to get the dirtier or rusty areas you want, then rub them in with your fingertips.
Dip or paint brass fittings with a blackening or greening agent commonly found in railway modelling.
Plastic or white metal fittings should be painted with primer and topcoat in the chosen colour, and then use the wash and dry brush techniques described above.
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Rank: Super-Elite   Groups: Registered, Forum Support Team, Administrators, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 09/11/2012 Posts: 8,520 Points: 24,651 Location: East midlands
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Mr T,  If that`s the outlined detail, then I just got to buy a copy of your book. When is the release date ?  Fab Regards delboy271155 (Derek) COME BACK GUY FAWKES "YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU"
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Well, as it happens its in our articles section.. 
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Rank: Beginner Level 3 Groups: Joined: 18/01/2014 Posts: 25 Points: 65
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Thank you Steve, that's exactly what I was wondering! And cheers Tomick, I've seen that in the DeAg modelling tips section too but I've now printed it out, outlined, underlined and highlighted all the key bits! What do people tend to do for priming/sealing the wood before painting or staining or is the done thing to rely on the first layer to do the job? Also, I've seen on some modelling pages that people varnish over the top of the paints as a protective layer - is that typical on model boats (thinking boats such as the SOTS/Pearl)? Subscribed to: DeAgostini Artesania Sovereign of the Seas, Hachette Amati Black Pearl!
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Rank: Super-Elite Groups: Registered
Joined: 30/01/2013 Posts: 4,604 Points: 13,607 Location: Monmouthshire UK
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There is a sealer specially for mdf, this will prevent any subsequent layers of paint from expanding or distorting the mdf through absorption. It's a good idea to protect whatever finish you choose and this is best done with a varnish - if you don't want to alter the appearance of the finish then a matt acrylic varnish would be best. Steve
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Rank: Beginner Level 3 Groups: Joined: 18/01/2014 Posts: 25 Points: 65
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Cheers Steve, duly noted! Subscribed to: DeAgostini Artesania Sovereign of the Seas, Hachette Amati Black Pearl!
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Rustins have a quick drying MDF clear sealer that allows the application of both paints or varnishes, unlike MDF primers which can only be painted.
http://www.rustins.eu/Details.asp?ProductID=773
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Rank: Beginner Level 3 Groups: Joined: 18/01/2014 Posts: 25 Points: 65
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Tomick, In that article you linked to from the DeAg Hints and Tips sections above, it mentions some paints (namely charcoal grey, lichen grey, soft grey and antique white) to use as washes and for dry brushing - I don't suppose you'd know of a source? I had a search look for lichen and charcoal grey earlier with no luck. Subscribed to: DeAgostini Artesania Sovereign of the Seas, Hachette Amati Black Pearl!
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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They are colours from a paint range, so its a case of looking at actual colours close to the shade you are looking for and also consider mixing shades to get the effect you want.
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 Hi mattnedgus Weathering products are not a dark art and there are several tuitions available plus there are several companys out there that supply these items. Some can be bought as kits but also colours are available seperatly, the kits are generally aimed at the plastic modeller but they can all be used for ant application you wish especially as some kits may have several of the colours you need. Some links to various suppliers to give you an idea https://www.emodels.co.u...s/quickshop.php?ps1=447
http://www.ak-interactive.com/inicio/
Look for the weathered wood effects on the above link https://www.humbrol.com/...ers/weathering-powders/
http://www.emodels.co.uk...ic-kits/-c-159_164.html
http://www.emodels.co.uk...s/quickshop.php?ps1=342
Hope the links help Regards Andy Current builds:-C57,Zero, Lamborghini Countach, Caldercraft HMS Agamemnon,Robi,R2-D2, MFH Cobra .
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Admiralty Paints are waterbased paints can be thinned down with water to produce ‘washes’ whereby the surface is coloured by the paint but the underlying grain and natural wood is still visible.
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Rank: Beginner Level 3 Groups: Joined: 18/01/2014 Posts: 25 Points: 65
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Thanks again Andy - I'll have a look through those links later! I think I've got the 'theory' down (at least in my head!) so I'm looking at buying an assortment of paints, stains and varnishes to try out the different effects in the flesh as-it-were. And thanks Tomick - I'll have a look through the Admiralty paints and choose a few based on the advice in that article link you sent previous to try as washes. There was a suggested general-rule-of-thumb (an outline guide really) regarding putting lights/darks over which shades/colours. Subscribed to: DeAgostini Artesania Sovereign of the Seas, Hachette Amati Black Pearl!
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